'Support' needed for NI drivers to switch to electric

As the UK approaches its' climate change goals, "support" is needed to encourage motorists in Northern Ireland to switch to electric vehicles (EVs), one EV driver has said.

"The cars need to be more affordable and there needs to be proper infrastructure," Stephen Kane said.

The Electric Vehicle Association NI (EVANI) said it was too early to "take away the incentives" such as free public charging and financial schemes.

Meanwhile, the Department for Transport (DfT) said there are "already a range of incentives" such as favourable taxation rates and targeted grants, and it will support "continued demand".

Stephen Kane was able to own an EV through a workplace scheme.

He said: "The cost of buying an electric car privately is still too expensive. If I had to buy it privately I couldn't afford it."

Mr Kane also said the infrastructure for charging in Northern Ireland is "terrible".

"We were going to a wedding in Fermanagh, so we literally drove without the heating on just to get there and back," he said.

"I had to ask someone to charge it overnight."

Mr Kane doesn't think we will reach net climate change targets "until electric cars become cheaper to purchase".

"Overall an electric car is a really nice car to drive, I think it is the way forward.

"But I just think there needs to be support," he added.

Darren Henderson, director of EVANI, said "disinformation" on social media is affecting people's decision to buy an EV.

"Petrochemical companies are throwing information out there to try and slow things down," he said.

Mr Henderson said "just a few short years ago" "range anxiety" was "a real difficulty in Northern Ireland but we have certainly turned a corner".

"In three years, we have had a 700% increase in rapid chargers, it's by no means finished but is far more available than it was."

He added that the gap in price between EVs and petrol or diesel vehicles is also closing.

Mr Henderson said hydrogen will have "a place" but not in passenger vehicles as the "efficiency just doesn't work out".

In July 2024, there were 27,580 electric vehicles on Northern Ireland's roads, according to the Department for Transport.

This includes battery electric, petrol hybrid, diesel hybrid and range extended electric vehicles.

In absence of DfT data, the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) shows a further increase of 4,459 registrations of electric vehicles in the second half of 2024.

This indicates that there are over 32,000 EVs on the road in Northern Ireland.

Currently, the UK government plans to ban the sale of new petrol or diesel cars and vans by 2030 and new hybrid vehicles by 2035.

In January 2025, the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate and Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes were introduced in Northern Ireland.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) said the schemes will increase the number of cars in the new market and build on stock in the second-hand market.

It says the sale of EVs remain "encouraging" but reaching net zero by 2050 will be "challenging".

"Decarbonising private cars will be important for tackling the climate crisis, and the department continues to work with other jurisdictions and the private sector to develop this process," the DfI added.

"However, we also need to provide attractive sustainable transport alternatives."

George McMillan, owner of a car garage, said that hydrogen powered vehicles are the "real future".

"I would jump into the hydrogen vehicle straight away," he said.

"I know in 20 years' time for our customers that would be something we could stand behind.

"I could see a future in it but I don't see a future in the fully electric vehicle."

He said the government has "panicked and put everything into the electric car basket" when the "infrastructure is no where near where it should be".

Stephen Mack, chairman of the Comber Classic Car Club believes electric vehicles "have a pretty bad press".

Although Mr Mack shared how there are issues with electric cars such as the price, mileage, battery life, depreciation and appearance.

"You couldn't tell the difference of a car with a petrol or diesel engine, I would like to say the same about an electric car," he said.

"These EVs are disposable, they will never be classics like we had.

"There's no feel, there's no sound, there's no oil dripping out of it".